Liverpool -- 13 May 2010 -- Starting this month, a celebration will start in Liverpool, England for the countdown of the most anticipated birthday/memorium for the most celebrated man in the history of Rock and Roll. John Lennon would have been 70 years old on October 9, 2010. On December 8, 2010, it will be 30 years since we said a sudden heartfelt goodbye to him.

From October 9th to December 8th a celebration of life will take place throughout the world and on December 9th, musical stars of all eras will unite on stage when the John Lennon tribute season closes with a unique and emotional charity concert finale "Lennon Remembered," at Echo Arena.

Beatles Artist Shannon has had her most famously recognized image of John Lennon elected as the official backdrop for this concert. "The Seven Faces of John" was painted by Shannon in 1997. It will be updated with two new Lennon images especially for this celebration to coincide with the number 9. The number 9 represents many things Lennon including his songs "Revolution Number 9" and "Number 9 Dream", his birthday, and the date of this massive celebration.

In 1996 Shannon was flown to Liverpool, England to meet the Lord Mayor and was officially titled and declared The World's Greatest Beatles Artist. When asked how she felt about the title she simply said, "The whole world? Amazing! Thank you." Since then she has received the title, Official Artist of The Cavern Club and last year she was inducted into The Cavern Hall of Fame.

A monument dedicated to John Lennon will be built in Liverpool as part of a global peace movement.

The statue will be presented to The Beatles Story by Lennon's son Julian as part of the city’s two-month event commemorating the former Beatle’s 70th birthday and the 30th anniversary of his murder.

The 18ft artwork has been commissioned by California-based organisation Global Peace Initiative and 19-year-old American artist Lauren Voiers will create the piece, which aims to celebrate both the musician and his message of peace.

The metal monument, which will incorporate a white feather within its design after a request from 47-year-old Julian, will be unveiled in October and will be sited in a prominent city centre location yet to be agreed.

The Beatles Story managing director Jerry Goldman said: “New York has the Imagine mosaic in Strawberry Fields and it attracts hoards of people.

“The Global Peace Initiative wants to create a peace monument on every continent and it was well down the road on its monument for Europe, which was designed to go to the site of the Berlin Wall.

“When I asked if it could design one for us, it said the concept it was working on could not be more appropriate for Liverpool and John Lennon.”

The John Lennon peace monument will be the second in a series of monuments commissioned by Global Peace Initiative.

The organisation's aim is to spread artistic symbols of peace across the globe, with the first statue presented to the President of Singapore on behalf of the people of Asia in 2005.

It is hoped the Liverpool monument will complement the memorial in New York, acting as a place of pilgrimage for people wanting to remember one of the world’s most influential icons.

Artist Lauren said: “My art has always been influenced by the ideals of peace and harmony and it is a great honour to spread this message across Europe through my sculpture.

“The fact it will be located in Liverpool, the home town of such a music legend, is phenomenal.”

Ben Valenty, director of Global Peace Initiative, added: “We were searching for an appropriate location for the second Global Peace monument for some time.

“The creativity and history which surrounds Liverpool make it an ideal destination for Europe’s art piece.”

A monument dedicated to John Lennon will be built in Liverpool as part of a global peace movement.

The statue will be presented to The Beatles Story by Lennon's son Julian as part of the city’s two-month event commemorating the former Beatle’s 70th birthday and the 30th anniversary of his murder.

The 18ft artwork has been commissioned by California-based organisation Global Peace Initiative and 19-year-old American artist Lauren Voiers will create the piece, which aims to celebrate both the musician and his message of peace.

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Booo. I thought Britain had stayed clear of this nonsense. A statue of a rock and roller is okay, but please, not a peace thingy. Britain generally has a totally different view of Lennon than the Americans. - here he's seen as a loopy drug taking musician who wrote some great tunes. That's enough surely.Here's a deal - California keeps its Global Peace Initiative Lennonisms where they belong (ie California) and we'll publically execute Liam Gallagher and Robbie Williams. Hands across the water my arse. Sometimes we're meant to be different you know.

I support Global Peace Initiative. We are of the same view as Americans are. Speaking out for peace is positive and has always been topical, though some people may find it dull. I wonder why? For some strange reason they believe that it would have been better to remain inarticulate. John`s anti-war message was and is well-known all over the world. Its impact and later its lasting effect is great and miraculously still matters. Otherwise people would have forgotten about it. But they do remember.John marched for peace in AMERICA, he didn`t belong to Britain at that time. Thus the British thoughts on the subject are just part of the perception of the whole issue - (my answer to Kevin). Actually John is much more American, and even global. Fantastic he managed it!

IJohn marched for peace in AMERICA, he didn`t belong to Britain at that time.

Exactly. And Americans can knock themselves out building statues of a drug addled rock star who spent three years of his life (there's dedication and commitment for yoy) sitting in bags and beds banging on about peace as part of some "Gobal Peace Initiative." And let's face it, such a futile gesture seems sort of appropriate for a man who though world peace could be advanced by posting acorns. I just kind of hoped good old British cynicism would stop it happening here.Though I do understand how icons work. No one (I think) would say that Marilyn Munroe was the greatest actress of her time, but she is iconic for what she represents. And I know so it is with Lennon in most of the world. But here he's an ex Beatle who buggered off to the US, not some Ghandi reincarnate. Thank God.

Just had a gander at Lennon's chart positions. There must be some irony that his "political" songs and album (STINYC) all did much better in the UK than the US, while the reverse is true for his "normal" songs and albums. It seems the reality was that at the time most Americans preferred their Lennon a la Strawberry Fields, all dreamy and ambiguous (sp), while the Brits liked him a little anngrier. Grrrrrrrrr.What a funny world in which we live.

It`s OK Kevin! I love you! Let John be an icon and let Monro be an icon, not everybody can manage to become icons! It`s a miracle! By the way all rock stars are drug addicts to this or that extent. ALL!!!!!!!

The Starkeys pictured recently. From left to right: Lee, Zak (looks like he's been brainwashed by the Gallaghers), his girlfriend Sshh (well, that's what she wants to be called, but we call her Sharna) and Augusta Tigrett (Maureens daughter with Isaac). We're missing one, right?

Photographs on display will include, of course, images of the Beatles in Hamburg in the 1960s, alongside shots of Astrid’s home and family, and photos of the Cavern, Liverpool and its people.

There’s also a rare image, believed never to have been seen before, of Paul, George and Ringo on holiday in Tenerife in 1963, when they stayed in a chalet at La Montañeta owned by Klaus Voormann’s doctor father.Astrid Kirchherr: A Retrospective is at the Victoria Gallery & Museum in Brownlow Hill from August 25-January 29.